onboarding criteria for e-⁠Residency marketplace members

e-⁠Residency Marketplace is a platform that serves as a starting point for all e-⁠residents. The main goal of the Marketplace is to consolidate and provide basic information about some of the service providers available for e-⁠residents, in order to facilitate their first steps when starting and administering businesses.

In order to apply to be a Marketplace member, a service provider must meet the following criteria:

Valid registration and good standing
1. Service Provider is a legal entity registered in the Estonian Business Register or relevant register in the country of its registration. Service Provider is not subject to bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings.
2. Service Provider discloses information on its ultimate beneficial owners (UBO).
3. The person representing the Service Provider in dealing with e-⁠Residency team is duly authorised to act on behalf of the Service Provider.
Correct contact information
1. Service Provider shares with e-⁠Residency team its correct and responsive e-mail addresses (customer service email and general business email), phone number(s), physical address and website.
Adequate communication and English language proficiency
1. Service Provider cooperates with e-⁠Residency team and communicates adequately and appropriately before and during the onboarding process.
2. Service Provider gives sufficient information regarding itself and its services as requested during onboarding, including as disclosed in the Marketplace application form as well as further requested in the onboarding negotiations. . Service Provider does not give any false or misleading information to e-⁠Residency team.
3. The relevant staff of the Service Provider has a good command of spoken and written English.
4. The webpage of the Service Provider has an English version at least to the extent that is related to provision of services to the e-⁠residents. Good English language is used.
5. There is no misleading information or unethical content on the Service Provider‘s website.
6. Services offered to e-⁠residents are clearly described, and are accurate and easy to find, and pricing information is clearly indicated.
Compliant business practices
1. Service Provider has no tax debts.
2. Service Provider has duly submitted annual reports.
3. Service Provider and none of the members of its administrative, management or supervisory board or another legal representative involved in connection with the e-⁠Residency programme or any of its shareholders or ultimate beneficial owners has been convicted by final judgment for criminal offence.
4. Service Provider and the members of its administrative, management or supervisory board, its shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners are not in the list of persons to whom the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit has issued a precept or decision on penalty payment.
No international sanctions or FATF listing
1. Service Provider and none of the members of its administrative, management or supervisory board, its shareholders or ultimate beneficial owners is the subject of an international sanction within the meaning of the International Sanctions Act
2. Service Provider is not established in a jurisdiction that is in the list of High-Risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action or the list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Valid license or registration
1. The Service Provider is authorised to provide the service that it offers to e-⁠residents. The Service Provider holds a current and valid registration or licence, if applicable, for the specific service.
2. Service Provider offering virtual office services (contact person and address in Estonia) shall be one of the following: notary; advocate; sworn auditor; audit firm; tax representative of a non-resident; provider of trust and company services.
3. Service Provider that has activity licence issued by Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority (EFSRA) (acts as a credit institution, creditor, credit intermediary, fund manager, investment firm, investment or pension fund, professional participant in the securities market, insurance company, insurance intermediary or payment or e-money institution or provides other services for which activity licence issued by EFSRA is required) shall have necessary licence issued by EFSRA.
Relevant and permitted services offered to e-⁠residents
1. Service Provider offers services that the e-⁠Residency team considers relevant to a significant number of e-⁠residents.
2. Service Provider is able to give a clear overview of what kind of services it offers, to whom and what is the price level of the services. During the onboarding process Service Provider is able to define what are its target industries, target markets, and target company types. Service Provider states clearly the kind of e-⁠residents or e-⁠resident companies they do not serve.
3. Service Provider does not offer forbidden or unethical services
High level of expertise on e-⁠Residency
1. Service Provider has a clear understanding of what e-⁠Residency is and what is its value proposition for e-⁠residents specifically.
2. Service Provider does not publish any misleading or incorrect information about e-⁠Residency, Estonian laws or regulatory procedures, or taxation.Service Provider must not promise to customers such services or solutions that Service Provider cannot guarantee.
3. Service Provider must not present e-⁠Residency as a tool for avoiding taxes or a tool for getting Estonian residency, visa or citizenship.
Good business reputation
1. Service Provider and the members of its administrative, management and supervisory bodies, shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners and representatives involved in connection with the e-⁠Residency programme have good business reputations.
2. Service Provider has a record of positive customer reviews.
Support is offered to e-⁠residents
1. Service Provider specifies the channels they use for e-⁠resident support (e mail, phone and/or chat), and the Service Provider responds to its customers through these channels without unreasonable delay.
Positive customer experience and references
1. The service experience of e‑residents who are customers of Service Provider is positive. Service Provider provides at least 2 positive written references or recommendations from their e-⁠resident clients, unless otherwise agreed with e-⁠Residency team.
  Reference should include the following information: client’s contacts, client’s business industry, length of client history, short overview of the experience (including reasoning why one chose this specific SP and how satisfied the client is). Written references are signed digitally by using Estonian e-⁠Residency digital ID. In case there is any doubt, an interview will be conducted with the client.